Casting a Patronus
by Kjpanny Kjchristie17
Summary: George can't cast a Patronus anymore. Still grieving for Fred, he comes upon a student who reminds him of his deceased twin. Sometimes, Fate has a different plan in store for us. Hermione/ George


"Professor? Will we be practicing casting the Patronus today?"

George Weasely looked up from his desk at the bright eyed pupil. He was literally bursting out of his seat with barely contained excitement. George smiled at him, "I thought I announced that yesterday, Millboone."

The sixth year beamed at him, half nervous and half excited, "I just wanted to confirm it, Professor."

Geoge grinned. He could never recall being this excited about studies back when he went to Hogwarts. But then again, he and Fred... His smile slipped off his face and he looked around the classroom in a dazed manner as if expecting his other half to jump out and berate him for doing the one thing they promised themselves never to do. Teach.

But Fred didn't appear.

He never did.

"Um, Professor?"

George looked startled and stared at the boy who looked slightly worried, "Are you okay? You don't look so good."

George smiled, tiredly, rubbing a hand over his face, "I'm fine. Late night."

Millboone's worried look turned into a smirk, "Were you with Professor Granger again?"

"Get your mind out of the gutter, boy. And that's Professor Weasely to you. Stop calling her Professor Granger. She's a Weaseley now."

The boy shrugged, his blue eyes twinkling with mischief, "My bad. She looked exausted this morning at breakfast... I just assumed, naturally..."

"Millboone, shut up, now."

"Yes, Professor. I'm just saying."

"I will hex you, boy. And it won't be pretty."

Millboone sauntered off to his desk and slouched in his chair as the other students started piling in. However, George didn't miss his whisper, "Grouchy. Looks like somebody didn't get any last night."

George scowled at him and the boy smiled innocently at him. Millboone often reminded him of Fred, with the exception that he was extremely devoted to his studied. It was like Fred had been reincarnated in him. His blue eyes twinkled like Fred's did when he was up to something but his brown hair had no resemblance whatsoever.

George liked the kid. When he was around him, he would feel as if he was in Fred's presence. Out of all the professors at Hogwarts, it seemed that Millboone was extremely attached to George Weasely, Often coming to him for advice on pranks as if assured that he would not be turned in and he wasn't. Girls was an another issue that Millboone confided in George about. He had been extremely excited, a little too happy, in George's opinion, when Hermione had entered his classroom in the midst of his lesson and kissed him on the mouth, telling him yes, she would marry him. He had proposed the night before and asked her to think about it, before answering him, since he came with a lot of baggage.

Sometimes, looking at him was too painful and sometimes it would be a balm for the gaping hole Fred had left behind. Twenty years and he still found it hard to get rid of the pain. Sometimes he would feel suffocated, unable to breathe, stuck in a rut.

He had met Hermione then and she had been different. She hadn't been gentle with him, treating him like a toy. She had been loving, warm, caring and patient. She had also been firm, getting him to quit drinking. When he had showed up at her apartment drunk out of his mind, she had given him a sober up potion and told him how disappointed Fred would be to learn the his best mate, hi sother half, the one that was supposed to be creating enough havoc for the two of them, was trying to drink his problems away. She had told him seriously that he needed to think about the direction he wanted to take his life in and he knew where to find her.

Two days later he had shown up at her doorstep. As soon as she opened the door, he had let out a chocked sob, and she knew. She had held him the whole night, letting him grieve, really grieve. She had held him, loved him, over and over again, till he knew her body as well as he knew his own. When he woke up the next morning to see her in his arms, fast asleep, he smiled, his first true smile after so many years. He was in love.

He had taken up a position at Hogwarts as a Charms Professor when Flitwick finally decided to retire. Not wanting to be so far away from her, he had asked the Headmistress, his old Gryffindor Head of House whether there was a position open. He had settled in as a DADA teacher easily.

The first time he had met Millboone, the first time their eyes had met, he thought he was looking at Fred. They were nothing alike in appearance except their blue eyes, however, the secrets those eyes seemed to hold, it was as if his brother had returned.

Hermione hadn't laughed at him when he had told her what he had felt. She had simply smiled with tears in her eyes and said that there were some things in this world that no one could understand. He had fallen even more in love with her that night.

As the students stared at him expectantly, George raised a brow, "Well, so I guess I don't have to tell you that you won't be needing your books today, seeing as none of you brought any to begin with."

They all gave him innocent smiles. There was a knock on the door and Hermione peeked in, "Am I late?"

George sounded almost relieved as he dragged her inside and looked at the curious and confused looks. Even Millboone looked startled. Clearing his throat, George announced, "Professor Hermione _Weasely_ will be performing the Patronus today." He aimed a sharp look at his favorite pupil who managed a smirk amidst the confusion clouding those familiar blue eyes.

One of the girls raised her hand, "Professor, why is Professor Weasely, casting her Patronus?" She blushed slightly before continuing, "We, um, we all wanted to see your Patronus."

George just stared at her, before speaking softly, "I can no longer cast a Patronus." With that he went to sit down at his desk. Most of the students sent him a horrifed and pitying looks. Not being able to cast a Patronus meant that he had no happy memory or thought. Most of them also sent Hermione confused looks.

However, Millboone had frozen as if unable to believe it. He swallowed hard before asking in a sad voice, "Have you tried, Professor?"

George gave him a a weary smile, "Yes. Now pay attention to Professor Weasely."

The rest of the class turned to look at Hermione as she started explaining the basics and wrist movements, before she started. However, Millboone's eyes remained fixed in George. Pain clouded his eyes and blinked harshly. When George met his eyes and raised a questioning brow, he simply shook his head and turned to look at his favorite professor's wife, all the while sneaking peeks at George.

When the class was divided into pairs to practice, Millboone deliberately stepped away so that he was the only one left without a partner. Hermione finally paired off with him. George watche dthe two of them with hooded eyes.

He had tried casting a Patronus. He really had, but it was like all the happy thoughts and memories had been sucked out of him when his twin had left him. He couldn't understand. He loved Hermione. He knew that. Shouldn't that be enough?His wife had not taken offense to that and had explained to him very calmly and lovingly that some earth shattering events could often affect the magic of a wizard. Losing Fred had been a traumatic experience for him. He could never let go of the moment when he had heard Percy scream Fred's name and he had seen his twin lying amidst the broken wall. His face etched in a frozen smile, his eyes dull and lifeless.

That moment his entire world had shattered. He had laughed first, broken giggles, telling Fred to stop messing around. Then he had gotten angry and shook him, telling him that this was no time to be playing around, they were in the midst of battle. Those eyes hadn't shimmered or twinkled. As he he had stared at him, his brother, his twin, his Fred, he had realized that he was alone. He was alone now. Tears had poured down his face, as he had collapsed on his Fred's body, begging him not to die, not leave him.

But all those tears, all that begging did not work. His twin's body was growing cold. He had tried to rub that lifeless hand, trying to warm it. He could not understand. A few minutes ago, he had been standing next to him, laughing, and patting him on the back. How could that smile be gone forever? How could he leave him like this, alone? He felt cold, oh so cold, like his entire body was shutting down.

His eyes had been blinded by tears, his chest tight with pain, his lungs trying to draw in air, but not succeeding. Percy had dragged him off Fred, wrapped his arms around him. He had tried to shake him off. They were leaving Fred behind, alone. He didn't want Fred to be alone. He didn't want to be alone.

"He's gone, George. You have to live."

Those heartbroken words had been whispered against his ear by his elder brother and George had clung to him, desperately. Ron's scream of their sister's name had brought George out of his haze. His sister was still alive, as were his brothers. Fred would want the family safe.

Suddenly a sharp gasp brought him out of his memories. Hermione's face was pale as she watched the silver fox hop elegantly onto George's desk. George stared at the Patronus. He knew this Patronus. The fox swirled it's tail and walked onto George's lap, curling down there for a few seconds, before vanishing.

George stared at his lap, and he slowly lifted his gaze to meet that of his student's. Millboone watched him, one brow raised, as if in challenge. The voice that left his lips, the tone was so familiar, "What's wrong, _Professor_? You seem surprised."

Hermione's back was to the other students and and they weren't aware of what was going on. They were busy in their own attempts, a few managing, a few failing.

"How did - ?"

Millboone twirled his wand thoughtfully in his hand, "Like my Patronus, Professor? It's beautiful, isn't it?" He leaned against his hip against his own desk and his voice was quiet and firm, "Show me your Patronus, Professor."

George was frozen. That stance, that look. He knew them. Twenty years...What - ? How - ?

"I can't - " He stammered and was cut off, as he saw fury appear on Millboone's face, as he snarled, "Yes, you can!"

Hermione immediately cast a disillusion charm around the three of them. She didn't know what was going on. She had her suspicions, but she wasn't sure. She hesitated as she saw George waver, a tear slipping down his cheek. She was about to go to him, when she walked into a wall. Millboone's voice was low, "He has to do this alone. He has to. He has to."

George raised his wand and attempted to think of a happy memory, but he couldn't find anything in his mind. It was a blank canvass.

"I c-cant." His voice broke now.

The boy's eyes narrowed, "Yes, you can. You are supposed to be alive, to be happy.: His voice turned into a whisper, "You promised me. You promised."

Their air around Millboone shimmered and George saw his brother in his student's eyes. He reached out a hand, and mumbled his twin's name in a broken voice, "You left. You left me alone. We were supposed to live together, die together, but you made me wait alone in this cold."

Fred, for this was now Fred in front of him, gave him a sad but determined smile, "I wouldn't have left you if I had a choice, Georgie, but I didn't have a choice. But your pain is hurting me, George. It hurts. I want you to live, play pranks, live up to my legacy. You do that for me, you hear."

Tears trailed down George's cheeks, and he stretched out a hand, mumbling brokenly, "I miss you, Fred. I miss you so much."

Fred smiled, a tear trailing down his own cheek, as he linked his hand with that of his twin, "I miss you too, George. More than you know." He grinned then, "It becomes pretty boring and I wish you'd play a prank, lighten things up. Stop grieving, brother." He said gently.

"Now open your eyes and cast your Patronus."

Open my - ?

George opened his eyes and blinked. Was that a dream? Everyone was practicing. Millboone was sweating with the effort of trying to cast the Patronus. A silver whisp of energy would appear before his wand and then simply disappear.

Without knowing why, George laughed. Both Hermione and her partner looked up, startled as George walked up to them. Grinning, he said, "Watch and learn, kid."

With a flick of his wand, a silver fox shot out of wand and circled around Hermione who looked shocked and then circling around Millboone, it settled on his head before disappearing.

"George, how did - ?"

Before, she could say anything further, the entire class burst into cheers.

"I knew he was bluffing!"

"Oh, man, did you see that?"

"Blimey!"

"Bloody hell!"

"Was it a fox?"

"Did anybody see what it was?"

As the class chattered in excitement, George dismissed everyone, till finally Millboone was left. He threw his bag over his shoulder and watched as Hermione questioned George.

He gave a satisfied look at the two of them and left the classroom, not seeing the knowing way in which George was watching him.

A.N: I start writing somethign else, end up with something else. I read somewhere that after Fred's death, George was unable to cast a Patronus. Please tell me what you think. You can follow me on twitter for new updates and stories.


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